Method of producing anthracite briquets.



UNITED s'rnrrnsrarnnr orrron.

JOHN F. LovEJoY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., assrenon or ONE-HALF TO ABE STEIN, or NEW YORK, Y.

METHOD' OF PRQDU'CING- ANTHRACITE BRIQUETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed March 5, 1906. SeriaINo. 304 342..

To all whom it'may concern." Y l Be it known thatI, JOHN F. LOVEJOY, a l citizen of the United States, and a resident l of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented l a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Producing Anthracite Briquets, of which the following is a specification.

The aim of my invention is to utilize anj thracite coal dust or culm in the production I of freely combustible briquets adapted to I retain their form during combustion and to gradually burn away on the exterior. I It is well known to those familiar'with the subject that anthracite culm has been accumulating at the American mines for many 1 years, and that itnow exists in vast quantities as a useless material which is disposed of l by the mining companies at great expense by l piling it in huge banks at great height or by i distributing it in the abandoned mines.

Many attemptshave been made'by oflicial commissions of the State of Pennsylvania and others to produce briquets' from this material, but without success. Briquets of I anthracite coal alone are not and never have been known to commerce.

As heretofore produced, the briquets would either suddenly disintegrate on being subjected to the heat of the fire or, on the other hand, they would melt down or assume a pasty condition. In either case the main- 1 tenance of an open fire-bed through which 1 air could pass to maintain combustion was impossible, and consequently the briquets were useless. V

In carrying my invention into effect I provide coal tar pitch of a high melting point, preferably 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and by means of suitable apparatus maintain the same in fluid oonditlon, ready for use.

The culm or coal dust to be used is passed through a heating or retorting apparatus of any suitable character, preferably through a long inclined rotatingcylinder, and subjected during-its passage to a heat sufiicient to drive off all moisture and raise the temper ature of the, coal to a degree materially above that at which the pitch melts. This is best efi'ected by delivering the flame and hot gases of combustion from a suitable coal or other fire throu h the cylinder while the coal is also passing s owly therethrough. f

The temperature to which the coal is subjected may be modified to some extent, but with most Pennsylvania anthracites I find a temperature of from 250 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit gives the best results, 300 to 31.0 degrees being the temperature generally employ. After-(the coal has been treated as above and while it is still in a highly heated condition, .at a temperature preferably near 280 degrees Fahrenheit, I

add from S to 10 per cent. of the molten pitch 3 at about 240 degrees Fahrenheit, thoroughly agitating the mass until it is of a homogeneous character and until the particles of coal are coated with a thin film of pitch.

The, mass is cooled or permitted to cool until it is cohesive and of suitable consistency to admit of its being molded into the re.- quired forms. While still in a heated condition, preferably from 160 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, it is delivered to a molding or briqueting machine of any suitable character, adapted to apply severe pressure, and is formed thereby into briquets or bodies of any suitable size and form. The resulting briquets on being cooled or permitted to cool acquire extreme hardness and te nacity and. may be handled freely and violently without danger of disintegration. When briquets produced as above are placed in the fire they will readily ignite and, will burn away gradually on the exterior while retaining their form and solidity, thus permitting the maintenance of an open or pervious bed through which a free draft may be maintained to keep up combustion. In the formation of the riquets it is found that the application of "a very severe pressure has the efiect ofgiving to the briquets greater hardness and greater powers of resistance against fracture than when they are molded under moderate pressure. Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of producing briquets from anthracite coalconsisting in heating the coal to a temperature of from 250' to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, combining there with molten pitch at about 240' degrees Fahrenheit, thoroughly agitating the mass, and'finally forming the same, under severe. pressure, 220 degrees Fahren eit, into briquets,

- 12. The methodof producing combustible briq uetsfrom anthracite coal consisting in sub eotin the coal to a temperature of from at a tem erature' of from 160 to a 250 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, thereafter molten refractory pitch at a high tempera? combining with the coal while at a temperai ture, and agitating the mass until 'it is of a and'causing or perture of about 280 degrees Fahrenheit, molten pitch having a melting point'of about 160 1 degrees Fahrenheit and a temperature of} about 240 degrees Fahrenheit, subjecting the mass to thorough agitation and thereafter molding the same, at a homogeneous character, .mitting the mass to partially cool, and finally molding the mass into briquets :under severe pressure.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my temperature of i hand this 26th day of Februaryf1906, in

I about 160 degreesFahrenheit to'220 degrees the presence of two attesting Witnesses.

Fahrenheit, into briquets.

JOHN F. LOVEJOY.

, 3. The method of producing anthracite W'itnesses:

briquets consisting in combining highly V v IDODGE.

J. A JAMB.

heated coal in the absence of moisture with 

